


More Than a Dream (Rewritten)

by StoryBel



Series: World Beyond Dreams [4]
Category: Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Adventure & Romance, Angst, Fantasy, Humor, Modern Girl in Thedas, POV First Person, Popculture References, Slow Burn, Swearing and Violence, really slow burn, rewritten story, story telling
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-22
Updated: 2019-06-16
Packaged: 2020-01-24 00:13:45
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 14,350
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18559996
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StoryBel/pseuds/StoryBel
Summary: ##Rewrite of original story of the same name##I never asked for any of this.My life used to normal. Until I woke up in an alternative Fantasy world, chained up, accused of murder and wielding a glowing magical hand that could save the world. Bizarre right? Like a very vivid dream, and it was to begin with... until it wasn't. Suddenly the dream became my new reality. A reality in which demons are real, magic exist and the people are either trying to kill me or praising me as a holy saviour.I still can't decide which was is worse.My name is Evelyn Treval, Evie to my friends. I've gone by other names too. Herald, Boss, Sunshine, Murderer, Hero... Vhen'an.Will you listen to my story?





	1. Prologue: The Telling of a Story

**Author's Note:**

> Hello All!!!!  
> For those who don't know me I'm StoryBel or just Bel :) And this is a rewrite of my on going modern girl in Thedas story. After some shocking writers block I had the urge to go back over and tweak the story a bit. While fixing mistakes and trying to condense things I ended up changing the format of the story a bit and figured 'Well, why not post it and see what people think?'  
> Old readers the original is still up and will continue to be updated. This will be the same story just a bit different. Some chapters wont even be changed much, others will be.  
> New readers Welcome! Thank you for giving this story a chance. I hope I can make something you will enjoy reading. Evie and her... mishaps in Thedas have come to have a special place in my heart and I've really enjoyed sharing them with this wonderful community.  
> Anyway, on with the story. Again.  
> I hope you enjoy.

 

** Prologue: The Telling of a Story. **

 

 

I'd never been a big believer of fate. The idea of some premeditated plan for my life by some divine being felt wrong to me. Our choices are what lead us down the paths we take and the reactions and actions of others to those choices determined the outcome. However I was starting to realise that there were some things that were in fact just meant to be, that some things in life were destined to be repeated in one way or another despite our actions.

Particularly when actual Gods where involved.

Yep, that's right. Real Gods.

_Real... Fucking... Gods._

I'd never even stood a chance.

The room I found myself in was white and simple. White painted walls, white tiled floor, white panelled ceiling with down lights. The table was white and solid and the chairs were also painted white. Everything was blindingly pristine and white. Even the large mirror built into the opposite wall reflected only white off its surface. It was cold, clinical, sterile...

And quiet, so very quiet. Making it seem like every slight move I made was being broadcast loud and clear through unseen speakers. Like the rustle of my simple cotton top or the squeak of the simple wood chair beneath me.

But the metallic chime of the chains around my wrists rang out the loudest.

Looking down at them I almost smiled. In a strange way it was like meeting an old friend again after months apart, an old friend who was very cruel and burdensome but was at least a familiar face in the crowd. I wasn't a stranger to chains anymore but I had to admit I had thought my time as another's prisoner had been put well behind me. I'd thought all the turmoil and danger was over, that I'd earned my peace. My happy ending.

But I'd been wrong.

_I'd been wrong about a lot of things apparently_.

Hot tears began to burn in the corner of my eyes. Unable to brush them away due to the cuffs and chains keeping me closely tethered to the table before me I turned my gaze to the roof and tried furiously to blink them back. As if holding back the tears would stop the pain and loss I was suffering or cease the questions burning within me.

_Why? Why did this happen? After everything... How could it all end like this? How was this fair?!_

I swallowed thickly, my hands curling into involuntary fists against the table top. Anguish gripping at my chest making it hard to breathe.

_How could he-?_

The door to the white holding room opened with a soft click, drawing my attention away from my grief and back to my current circumstances. Pulling myself back into some semblance of composure I watched guardedly as three people walked in.

The first was a large broad shouldered man with a very square jaw and a receding hair line. He had sharp dark brown eyes that frowned at me from beneath a heavy brow. By my guess the man seemed to be in his late forties. His posture and walk spoke military but his slightly protruding paunch around his middle whispered he hadn't seen any real action in over a decade. Not that it made him any less dangerous.

The second was a younger man, possibly in his mid thirties, dark reddish hair and beard cut short and neat. While slighter in build the man was clearly still military, muscles straining against the lilac material of his business shirt. He was missing the older man's scowl but his expression was no less serious.

Given my current predicament I wasn't surprised by these men. I had expected military personal and had been around enough of them that their hardness didn't intimidate me as it once would have. Perhaps that's why it was the third person who caught my attention. She wasn't military, walking with confident but elegant and poised steps she moved silently to take a seat at the end of the table, her hands folded in her lap. She looked more royalty than military. Older than both of the men she kept her ion grey hair pulled back into a tight bun at the back of her head, not a single hair daring to stray loose. She wore little make up, just enough to keep her looking proper. Her black pant suit looked plain but somehow expensive. She sat without saying a word, watching me with intently with pale green eyes, her face expressionless and unreadable.

I looked her over unashamedly curious.

_Interesting..._

A dry cough bought my attention back to the large square jawed man as he sat heavily down in the chair across from me, the poor piece of furniture groaning in protest. He began to unpack a bundle of papers and envelopes onto the table surface, setting up a sleek black phone beside him. He spent a moment turning it on and using his thick fingers to open up a recording app. I looked on intently.

It was so strange, how long it had been since I'd seen someone using a smart phone. I'd forgotten how amazing technology could be.

When he was done the man looked at me with his dark angry eyes and folded his hands atop the table.

_Oh boy, here we go._ I thought to myself and braced myself for the oncoming interrogation.

Things were about to get interesting.

"You speak English?" he asked, his own heavy thick accent giving away that this was not his first language.

I found myself oddly taken aback by his wording. English not Common, not the Kings Tongue. English.

_I really was back._

The heavy feeling of loss returned like a blow to my chest. Finding it hard to actually speak out loud I simply nodded in answer.

"Good. My name is Mr Black," he began in thickly. "This is Mr Brown and Madam Gold."

He gestured to the other man who had taken up position leaning against the wall by the door and the expressionless woman in turn.

I felt my eyebrows rise sceptically and my mouth twist in amusement.

_Really, fake names? Maker it was like a bad movie! Would I be meeting Mr Grey next? Maybe Cornel Mustard._

But I didn't comment, just nodded in understanding. If they wanted to play secret agents I was in no position to argue with them.

"Now that you are...feeling well-"

_You mean 'now that you are no longer howling hysterically_ _or heavily sedated'_ I corrected in my head, vaguely recalling the swarm of men pulling at my arms as I fought them off and the sharp sting of a needle in my neck before things had become pleasantly fuzzy.

"We would like to ask you a few questions," Mr Black continued.

I almost snorted.

_Of course they did._

"And we would like you to answer truthfully."

That gave me pause and I couldn't help my brows from furrowing into a small frown of my own. Mr Black noticed.

"It is in your best interest to tell us the truth," he encouraged, though it came out sounding more like an order in his harsh accent.

I opened my mouth to say something then closed it thoughtfully.

It had never occurred to me before now that lying to these people was even an option. There didn't seem a reason to. It wasn't like my lying would protect anyone anymore. It was all gone now, everything... everyone. Why waste the effort.

_And yet, maybe for my own sake..._

"What if you don't believe the truth?" I asked softly, surprised by how raspy and hoarse my voice was. I had to spend a moment clearing my throat before I continued. "What if the truth is so... so otherworldly that it sounds mad?"

His scowl deepened.

"We will be the ones to judge that. You need to tell us the truth."

I sighed in defeat and nodded.

If that's what they wanted then I would give it to them. So what if they thought I was mad anyway. It didn't matter anymore.

_Nothing mattered anymore._

"Good. This interview will be recorded for our records," Mr Black said. "Do you agree to this?"

I felt my brows twitch in disbelief and looked down meaningfully at my cuffed hands.

"I didn't realise I had much of a choice in the matter," I rasped feeling a small smile twist my lips.

"You don't" Mr Brown said, speaking for the first time in a crisp British accent that caught my interest. "But we ask because it's polite."

Mr Black sent him a withering glance which Mr Brown ignored keeping his attention on me, reading my reactions. He was trying to learn about me from observation, just as I was them.

I beamed at him.

"That's very kind of you to ask then," I turned back to Mr Black. "And no, I don't mind. I get the feeling you're going to need it. In fact you may want to take notes too, there is going to be a lot to talk about and it might get a bit confusing."

Mr Black grunted but I noticed he did not pick up a pen and paper.

_Well he can't say I didn't warn him._

"Firstly could you tell me your name?" He began.

"Evelyn. Evelyn Rose Treval." I answered. "But everyone calls me Evie, usually."

"Age and date of birth?"

I rattled off my birthday date without pause, realising I didn't actually know how old I was anymore. I'd been away for so long, and the calendar here was so different from the one I'd been using for the past however many years.

"Place of birth?"

Now that was an interesting question for them to ask. One that told me so much more about these people and who they were than it would tell them about me. They watched me intently for my answer, more intensely than they had when they'd asked my name.

They knew... or they suspected.

_Who were these people?_

"Melbourne, Australia." I replied watching as the two men shared a frown and a meaningful look. Madam Gold remained as unreadable and silent as before, overseeing the proceedings.

"Now," Mr Black said firmly, leaning forwards across the table as if to intimidate me. "Can you explain to me why my men found you crying on the floor in a top secret high security government storage facility in front of a now broken priceless artefact?"

I bit my lip thoughtfully. Now that it came down to actually explaining things I wasn't sure what to say.

_Maker where did I even start?_

"I don't suppose you'd believe I stumbled in there by sheer dumb luck in some kind of drunken or drug induced episode would you?" I asked nervously. It would be far simpler if they did.

Mr Blacks face was slowly turning red.

"No, I would not."

He flicked open a folder and pulled out a piece of paper.

"Not when your toxicology report came back clean to all known substances?"

I stared at the paper in shock.

"You took my blood without my permission?!" I wasn't so much angry as I was surprised. I was pretty sure that was illegal, some violation of my civil rights or something like that. But sure enough as I looked down at the inside of my right arm a little red dot and small blotch of new bruising stood clear against my pale skin as evidence. I found myself pouting peevishly.

"Well, that was rude."

_What else had they done?_

"You came into our facility without ours." Mr Brown pointed out.

I opened my mouth to argue then stopped.

"Touché Mr Brown," I conceded and relaxed back into the chair looking at him through narrowed eyes. "Does this make you good cop?"

"Excuse me?" he asked dryly.

"You know, the friendly or funny one in the interrogation meant to make me more willing to open up," I explained.

He glared at me. "I'm not friendly."

I looked over at Mr Black apprehensively.

"Well if you're supposed to be the good cop you need to work on your game, you're coming off a little bit.... grouchy."

Mr Black huffed, his face now a vivid scarlet hue. His hands tightened into fist on the table's surface so forcefully I could hear his knuckles pop.

"This is not a game Miss Treval," he snarled. "You have trespassed into a highly restricted and classified facility! You are lucky we have not executed you on the spot."

I looked at him levelly, unimpressed by the threat or his anger. Leaning forward myself I stared him dead in his angry dark eyes.

"Lucky? I doubt that very much. If you wanted me dead I have no doubt I'd be dead already Mr Black, luck or not. You've had plenty of opportunity. Which means one thing; you want answers and information only I can give so we both know you're not going to kill me."

He growled, low in his throat and I could hear his teeth grinding. Mr Black was furious; probably frustrated his intimidation tactic hadn't worked on the previously sobbing little girl. A long time ago it would have worked. But I'd faced bigger and scarier monsters that in comparison made Mr Black look like an angry toddler throwing a tantrum, scary in its own right but not a threat. I wouldn't be bullied by him. However I knew riling the man up was not going to make this go any smoother, fun as it was.

So I relented with a sigh and leaned back in my chair once more.

"But if it makes you feel better you should know I didn't actually intend to come here." Seeing the two men's expressions darken I quickly added, "No offence, I'm sure it's a very nice secret facility and all. I bet plenty of people would love to see it, just not me."

"You didn't mean to come here?" Mr Brown repeated sceptically.

"I'm not even sure where here is." I admitted with a shrug.

Mr Brown looked intrigued.

"You don't seem bothered by not knowing where you are." He pointed out.

I smile wryly.

"It's not exactly the first time this has happened to me. And the last time was a lot scarier."

"And how exactly does one get into that situation?" Mr Brown asked eagerly. "How does a person just appear in a place and not know where they are?"

"Without the aid of drugs and alcohol you mean?" I shot back cheekily before staring him dead in the eye. "I don't know how other people might do it but personally... I used magic."

I waited for their reactions and was not disappointed. Mr Black scowled harder, Mr Brown looked sceptical and Madam Gold...

Madam Gold straightened in her seat. The motion was only slight but it was the only response I'd seen from her so far. I turned my attention to her and noticed Golds eyes had turned bright with interest and some strange burning intensity.

_Oh she definitely knew something. And by the looks of her she really wanted to know more._

"Magic?" scoffed Mr Black. "You got into this top security government facility, with magic?"

"Yes."

"You can use magic to-" Mr Black seemed to struggle to find the right word for a moment. "-teleport yourself places?"

I winced slightly.

"Not exactly. Firstly it wasn't my magic. Someone else did that and I didn't really have a choice. Secondly the portals are more complicated than that. I don't even understand a fraction of how this all works and now-" My throat felt suddenly tight but I pushed past it. "Now it's broken. It was a one way trip apparently. I can't go back..."

"Convenient," muttered Mr Black darkly.

"Not really," I snapped back shooting him a heated glare. He had no right to make comments like that. Not without knowing what I'd been through, what I'd unwillingly left behind.

"Many people would argue that magic doesn't exist," Mr Brown interjected.

"Maybe here it doesn't," I shrugged. "But where I've been I can assure you it's very real."

"And where was that?" Mr Brown pressed.

I took a moment to try and find the right words.

"A place so far away it doesn't actually exist in this world," I eventually settled on.

Mr Black huffed and narrowed his eyes.

"That doesn't make sense or answer the question!" He shouted.

"This isn't easy you know!" I yelled back before looking around at them all pleadingly, hoping they might take pity on me. "You can't expect me to explain this all in a perfectly articulate way when I don't even understand the half of it myself. It's complicated and beyond strange. It was in an impossible place, another world separate from this one."

"Like another dimension?" Mr Brown offered, sounding more curious than disbelieving.

I frowned thoughtfully. "I suppose, though 'alternate dimension' sounds a little too Sci-Fi to be the right fit. It was less Spock and more Narnia if that makes any sense."

"I do not understand?" Mr Black said thickly, brows drawn in confusion. "What is _Narnia_?"

Mr Brown rolled his eyes and shook his head in exasperation.

"It's a fantasy world from a children's book," he explained to his colleague before turning back to me. "So you're trying to say you went to a _'Narnia?'_ "

"Yes!" I cheered in success. "But more of an R rated Narnia that lacks the talking animal furries and was in the middle of the end of the world apocalypse kind of thing."

There was a resounding silence as my claim was slowly processed by everyone in the room.

"And did you get there through a wardrobe too?" My Brown finally asked sounding like he was trying very hard not to throttle me.

"If only it had been that simple," I murmured. Noticing both men taking depth breaths in preparation to yell at me again I quickly cut them off. "I know! I'm sorry this isn't making anything any clearer to you but like I said it's really complicated. I can't just spit it out like it was a holiday in another country. How can I describe a whole universe in a few words? It's impossible! It's really, really complex."

"Then explain it." Mr Black demanded.

"I'm trying to!"

A knock at the door prevented me from saying anything further. Mr Brown scowled and muttered something under his breath and reluctantly opened the door to a young woman in a pale blue skirt suit, she said something softly to Mr Brown and handed him a cream coloured file. He flicked through it for a moment before looking to me curiously and handing the contents to Mr Black who in turned looked through the file, holding it up in a way that made it impossible for me to see what it held.

I found myself getting annoyed. I was trying to be co-operative with these people and tell them what the needed to know. I had some world shattering revelations to revel when I could finally figure out how to explain it... and they were ignoring me!

"Good read?" I asked sardonically. "I love a good read myself but I have to say gentleman now is probably not the time to be brushing up on 'interrogation techniques for Dummys'!"  

"Evelyn Rose Treval, daughter to Heather May Treval and David William Treval." Mr Black began to read. "Went missing aged 21 on 0ctober 31st 2015 under unusual circumstances. Remains missing."

I could feel the bottom drop out of my stomach and had to fight the urge to reach out and rip that folder from his thick fingers and read it for myself.

He placed a page down on the table surface and pushed it towards me.

I picked it up with shaking hands. It was a photo. It used to be of two young women standing with their arms around each other in a friendly embrace at a birthday party. I knew this because a copy of it used to sit on my bedside drawers a life time ago. But one of the girls had been cut from the picture. The girl that was left stood smiling a bright but shy smile, average in height and looking much softer and plump than I remembered in jeans and a tank top. Her honey blonde hair was tied back into a messy pony tail but was coming loose, causing the odd strand to curl about her face and shoulders.

"Is this you?" Mr Black demanded.

I swallowed dryly and looked up at the mirror behind him.

My face looked right back at me and the differences were slight but obvious. The light smattering of freckles across my nose and cheeks remained unchanged. And despite all the time I'd spent out in the elements my Scottish heritage had prevented me from keeping a real tan for long so my skin tone was only a little darker. My nose was still a slightly too long for my liking. My sapphire blue eyes were still wide and a little large. But my face was more defined, less soft and round than the girl in the photo. As was my body, I was leaner more willowy. But there was no denying the similarities between me and my younger self.

Even so it was hard to comprehend that the sweet shy girl in the photo was the same person as me.

Some changes were less visible than others.

"It used to be," I said softly.

"But no longer?" Mr Black queried looking confused.

"Not really," I murmured thoughtfully. "I think I've changed a bit too much for that girl to be me anymore."

He paused nodding in some kind of understanding before turning his face down to read his file again.

"You have scars," He stated bluntly. "Your missing person report doesn't list any identifying scars that mach the ones we have seen."

I felt my face heat slightly in embarrassment and anger, knowing someone in this building had obviously examined me while I was unconscious for them to have this information. My arms automatically began to rise to cross them defensively over my chest only to be stopped when the chains reached their limit. I glared at them then I glared at Mr Black.

"Do you people strip all your prisoners?"

"Only the ones who appear out of nowhere under strange circumstances bearing unusual marks," quipped Mr Brown.

"Unusual marks?" I repeated confused for a moment before realisation stuck. "Oh! You mean this."

Raising my left hand up I pointed to the long jagged line of twisting scar tissue that reached from the base of my thumb to my little finger. Smaller branches of scaring reached out like tracks of lightning across my left palm from the main mark, the pattern was almost beautiful in its own way. The mark wasn't necessarily all that unusual by itself; a lot of people have odd birthmarks or scars. However the faint eerie green glow that seemed to emanate from the mark was a little abnormal by Earth standards.

I'd grown so accustomed to people knowing about the Anchor that I didn't even consider it as strange anymore.

"Yes that. What is that?" Mr Brown asked, coming forward for a closer look. "Our doctors have been unable to explain it."

My smile was sad.

"It was my burden and my gift." I explained and turned my palm upwards. "I'm not surprised your doctors couldn't explain it, how could they when it's not of this world. It's a powerful mark of old magic that I wasn't meant to have but had to learn to use. Maker how I hated this thing! The pain, the responsibility... But now..."

The Anchor pulsed faintly, its normally shinning bright emerald glow dull and weak. So far away from the Fade its power was all but gone.

"Is it dangerous?" Mr Black asked, leaning slightly away.

I focussed on the mark, trying to bring forth its magic like I had a million times before only to be met with nothing.

"Not here apparently," I sighed in defeat.

"How did you get it?" Mr Brown asked still standing nearby trying to get a better look.

Shrugging I held my hand out, offering him to touch the mark. Mr Brown barely managed to contain his excitement as he began to cautiously poke and tap at the glowing scar.

"That," I said tiredly. "It's a very long story."

A delicate cough had me turning to Madam Gold in surprise, she'd been so quiet and still I'd almost forgotten she was there. The men too seemed to recall her presence. Mr Brown quickly dropped my hand and returned to his position against the wall while Mr Black straightened up in his seat.

"I would like to hear that story Miss Treval," Madam Gold spoke calmly, her voice was clear and cultured. Her accent also hinted at a British background however it was more subtle than Mr Browns.

"Forgive me Mame, but I'm not much of a story teller." I said respectfully. Something about this woman gave me the impression I was speaking with someone very important and powerful. Someone I should not deliberately antagonize. "I'm afraid I don't even know where to begin."

"The beginning is usually a good place," Mr Brown suggested.

"That's just it though," I exclaimed turning to him in frustration. "Which beginning? This isn't just my story it intertwines with so many others. Events that happened literally ages ago and the choices of many led to... everything! I didn't even know most of it until-"

My chest clenched painfully at the memory and I trailed of, taking a moment to compose myself and keep the tears at bay once more.

"You can't even begin to imagine everything I've experienced and seen," I gritted out. "This isn't just some kids fairytale with a simple beginning middle and end. It was real. It was... it was my everything and now.... shit..."

A hand reached out softly to land comfortingly on my own and I looked up to its unexpected owner brokenly.

"I can see you are overwhelmed. However you need to tough it out" Madam Gold said not unkindly. "This situation is bigger than you but the information you can provide us is monumental. We need to know everything you can tell us about this alternate world. But to start with why don't you tell us what happened to you?"

I took a deep calming breath and let it out slowly.

_Well looks like I found their good cop._

"Alright then," I agreed softly. "I'll try, just.... just give me a moment."

For a few minutes I sat stared down at my chained hands gathering my thoughts, sorting through everything. Everything that had happened. Everything I'd seen and learnt. The things I'd done, the people I'd met, befriended... loved. When I was ready I smiled to myself and laughed softly.

"Well," I said looking up at my awaiting audience. "I supposed the best place to start is where it all began for me. Ironically enough it's a frightening similar situation to the one I find myself in now..."

 

 

 


	2. More than a Dream.

 

** Chapter 1: More than a Dream. **

 

I woke up slowly, with the mother of all headaches. All I felt was pain, dull and thumping around my skull like a wrecking ball. Everything inside my head was loud bells and hammers. Everything outside my head was all muffled sounds and fuzziness.

_Was this what a real hangover felt like? Damn!_

I didn’t even remember going out last night, which was bad. I’d never drunk so much that I couldn’t remember the previous night. At worst I would get little dizzy and giggly then I would stop drinking. I was usually too afraid I’d make a complete idiot of myself but more than happy to babysit my friends while they indulged. Well that was the way it had always been, up until now at least. Apparently something had changed.

Moving my head a little to the side I groaned _._

 _Owww! That hurt_. _What had I been thinking? So stupid. Didn’t I have work today, or did I? Wait, was it a weekday or the weekend_?

I tried to think but my mind was foggy and slow, trying to remember anything felt like I was wading through molasses.

_Urgh. Never. Drinking. Again!_

It was too hard. Everything was so befuddled and cloudy. However as much as I wanted to roll over and sleep off this hangover I knew I would have to get up and face the day in order to figure out whether or not I was meant to be doing something important. It just wasn't wasn’t going to be very pretty.

Cracking my eyes open my eyes a little I tried to survey my room through the tangled blonde strands of my too long fringe. It took me a few attempts. My eyes were feeling heavy and dry. It was dark in the room, too dark actually when I thought about it. The slight electric blue glow caused by the display of my alarm clock was strangely absent, not to mention that usually some light would always find a way to seep through my curtains even in the dead of night, either from distant street lights or the moon and stars. At the moment I could barely make out a few feet in front of me, waiting for my eyes to adjust I started to make out what looked to be stone and wooden beams overhead.

_Wait..._

My room didn’t have any exposed beams.

I realized with a sickening start that I wasn’t in my room. What’s more I wasn’t lying on any bed. My body felt stiff and cold like I’d been sleeping on the floor all night and the ground was hard beneath me.

_What was going on? Where the hell was I? If I had passed out on somebody's floor I was going to die of shame!_

It was too dark to see much of anything from where I was. Making a wary attempt to sit up I groaned, my stiff muscles protesting the movement. Then I noticed something else, my wrists felt heavy, really heavy…. And they clinked when I moved them.

Manacles, thick metal shackles and chains weighed down my movements and tethered me to a solid iron loop pegged in the stone floor beneath me.

……

_Oh …_

_Oh no_.

I tried to fight down the sudden fear and dread that was bubbling up from the pit of my stomach.

_Crap! What was this?_

Every horror movie and creepy campfire story I’d ever bared witness rushed into my thoughts like a hurricane of gore and psychopaths. Fuzziness suddenly forgotten and my aching head and body pushed to the back of my mind as I sat bolt upright and pulled desperately at my restraints. I didn’t know how I’d gotten here or where I was but I had to get out of these chains, nothing good ever came of waking up chained in a dark room.

Ever!

As I pulled at my restraints I felt desperate and fear ridden tears sliding silently down my cheeks. Swallowing back a choked sob and trying to stay as quiet as possible I grasped at the thick metal cuffs only to feel a sharp splitting pain radiating from the palm of my left hand down my forearm to my shoulder. Gasping in shock I looked down to see an eerie emerald green glow emitting from the palm of my hand. I watched it horrified as the mark seemed to spark out and flux with a sharp crackle like an electric current.

Crying out in wordless surprise and panic I tried to inch away from my own hand only to be pulled back into place by the chains.

_What the Hell was that?! What was happening to me?_

There was a sudden flood of light as a door was swung open. I blinked into the intruding brightness and watched as five men marched into the room all of them dressed identically in some kind of medieval uniform complete with shrouded pale green hoods and gleaming sections of metal armor plates buckled in place over their chest, arms and shins. Dull sashes of orange were wrapped around their waists or across their chests. The men circled around in silence, not acknowledging me as they positioned themselves in a ring formation around where I crouched. Then each of them drew out a long, sharp silver sword from the leather sheaths at their hips and pointed them in my direction. Five points of razor sharp steal barely a foot away from my skin glinted maliciously in the light.

_Holy shit!_

They looked very sharp and very real. I could see faint scratch marks and indentations marring their shiny surfaces. These were no mere wall decorations or props, these had been used.

Like a deer in headlights I sat frozen, unable to move as two more figures came into the room both female this time. One was a tall sturdy woman with short cropped dark hair and dark eyes. Her sun tanned face was all sharp angles, cheek bones and stern looks marked with a small scar on one cheek and another short scar running down beside her mouth almost reaching her jaw. She was dressed in what looked to be a shiny set of plate armor over some strange purple and grey leathers. An image of an eye with rays like that of a sun adored her plain and simple breast plate. It was clean but dented and scratched in places.

She made an imposing figure. Behind her the other women slipped in and seemed to just blend into to background quietly as she circled about the room and lit several touches that adorned the wall, illuminating the room with flickering open flames and revealing me to be in a frightening medieval dungeon inspired basement complete with different cells and wooden stocks tucked away in the corner. She was wearing some kind of long grey shift dress woven with chain mail over some loose pants with large purple gloves and a hood that flowed around her head and shoulders, her face was pale and pretty beneath the hood and framed by short strawberry blond hair that just reached past her jaw.

_Oh crap, I’d been kidnapped by the cast of Game of Thrones. Either that or an out of control cult of LARP’ers._

The dark haired women looked at me with hard eyes and I knew instinctively that this woman didn’t like me, though why I had no idea. I wasn’t the kind of person who made enemies, and even if I had been I’d never seen this woman before now. What possible reason could she have to be looking at me with such a hateful gaze?

She spoke, breaking the silence in a thick heavy accent.

“Give me one good reason I shouldn’t kill you right here,” she demanded.

I stared at her in mute shock before blurting out the first thing my stunned stupid mind could string together.

“Are you for real? Who actually says stuff like that outside a movie?”

In response she raised an elegant dark eyebrow and glared at me. I winced and shrunk away as she spoke again her accent unfamiliar but almost Russian sounding. “You are not helping your situation here. I will very much kill you if you do not co-operate.”

And she meant it. I could see that in her eyes she was dead serious. My stomach clenched painfully.

 _What had I gotten messed up in_?

Needing answers I decided to try again, just a little more politely.

“I don't understand. Wha- whats going on? Where the heck am I?” I asked, trying to be strong, to sound brave but my voice seemed to waver with every word.

She ignored me.

“You are going to tell us what happened at the Conclave!”

With no clue what she was talking about I attempted to clarify.

“What? I- I don’t know what your- Eeep!"

I was cut off when she stormed forward angrily, her face stopping inches from my own.

“Don’t play dumb!" The terrifying woman seethed. "The whole temple destroyed in the explosion, thousands dead including our beloved Divine Justinia and you just happen to be they only one to make it out alive.”

“What are you on about? People are d-dead? That’s not funny! If this some kind joke you lot have a sick sense of humor!” I was starting to get annoyed, this was going too far. If my kidnappers wanted to role play then fine but at least let me in on what was going on.

“This is no joke,” she snarled leaning down enough that I had to lean back as to avoid her head colliding with mine. “You are involved in this somehow and you _will_ give us answers.”

“I really don’t know what you’re talking about!”

“Then explain this,” she roughly grabbed my shackled left wrist turning my palm upwards so the glowing design on my palm crackled and pulsed painfully. I cried out and tried to pull away but she held tight, her grip as strong as a vice.

“I don’t know what that is! It wasn’t there before.” I gasped out in distress.

“You’re lying!”

“No! I’m not. Please, I don’t know what that is. It was there when I woke up.”

“Enough! Tell me what you know!” she pulled me forward roughly.

The woman was so strong, practically pulling me off the floor with barely any effort. I gaped up at her wordlessly. What more could I say? I honestly had no idea what was going on.

“Cassandra, stop.”

The calm lilting voice of the hooded women made us both look to her as she walked forward and put a restraining hand on the armored women’s shoulder.

“I think she’s telling the truth,” she said quietly.

“You can’t be serious!" The woman, Cassandra exclaimed horrified. "You saw the mark. We know it’s connected to the explosion, the one that killed Justinia! She’s a part of this!”

“Yes but look at her.”

They both did, taking in my pathetic pale face and tear streaked cheeks.

“She is clearly terrified and very confused. I don’t believe she is lying, I think she is as desperate for answers as we are,” the hooded lady said coming to my rescue.

Cassandra’s anger seemed to wane slightly as she studied me.

“You really don’t know?” she asked suspiciously.

“I don’t even know what it is you seem to think I did! Can someone please explain where I am and why I’m in chains?!” I pleaded earnestly.

“You are our prisoner obviously.”

Refraining from rolling my eyes I asked, “Why? What is it exactly that I’m being accused of?”

“You are implemented in the death of Divine Justinia, among other things.” The withering look Cassandra sent me would have had me whimpering in retreat if I wasn’t so startled by her accusations.

“You- you think I killed someone?” I asked in disbelief.

“Possibly. Maybe not intentionally. We know you are somehow linked with the explosion which destroyed the Conclave. The people are already demanding your head.”

“My head?!” I choked. This was insane! I had cried for a week the first time I’d accidently run over a poor rabbit while driving, and here I was being accused of being involved in an explosion.

“We need her Cassandra, she may be the key to fixing all this. Her willingness to help will make things go easier.” The hooded red head piped in again, the voice of reason.

“Key to what? What’s going on?” I asked looking between the two of them.

Cassandra studied me a moment before sighing in defeat.

“Stand down,” she said gesturing at the armed soldiers still pointing their sharp weapons my way. They obeyed immediately without hesitation, sheathing their swords and stepping back one step. I noticed however every one of them still regarded me cautiously, hands resting on the hilts of their weapons. Like _I_ was dangerous. _Me?!_

Reaching down the armored women brought out a key and unlocked the heavy cuffs on my wrists before grasping my upper arm and pulling me sharply to my feet. I swayed and staggered for a moment before my shaking legs finally decided to co-operate.

“It will be easier to show you,” she said standing. “Come, do not try to run. You will regret it.”

Looking back at the five soldiers behind me and the intimidating Amazonian who currently had a firm grip on my arm I didn’t doubt I would indeed regret it if I tried. That was if I didn’t die in the process. My average build and height combined with a severe lack of muscle mass clearly put me at a disadvantage, and that wasn’t including their pointy bits of medieval weaponry or being totally out numbered. So I went compliantly out of the room, meekly rubbing my sore wrists as we walked.

They lead me down a long wide corridor with slate floors and wooden paneling and up a set of stairs. We exited through a thick wooden door that opened out into what appeared to be a large hall filled with numerous people rushing about in panic. Cassandra didn't allow me the chance to take in my surrounding however, roughly pulling towards a large set of double wooden doors that would have been more suited to a barn than a building and soon I found myself suddenly standing out in the open air.

The first thing I noticed was the cold. It was really, really cold. And white, almost blindingly so. Having grown up living in a part of Australia that didn’t get such extreme cold weather I’d only ever seen real snow on the TV until now. The whole place was covered in a layer or two of the icy white powder. It blanketed the ground, the trees, the surrounding mountain tops and every single wooden or stone structure in the area. It almost seemed to give off its own white light in the absence of much sun, the sky currently bleak and over cast.

It was beautiful.

_But why was there suddenly snow? How...?_

I had to catch my breath as I looked around. My surroundings could easily be a replica of a movie set or a medieval renaissance fair only more solid and real. The buildings were all simple wooden structures similar to log cabins of various size and design with the exception of the large grey stone building I’d just left. The people who were milling around were all dressed in simple cloth dresses, leather breaches and tunics. The odd green glad solider or armored guard also clanked by.

It was incredible; the dedication to their costumes was fantastic. As I was lead forward and further into the street I began to notice something else about the people.

Upon our arrival everyone was either watching our small group closely or sending nervous glances up into the sky ahead of us. I followed their gaze and gave an audible gasp.

In the distance, hovering over a nearby mountain range was a swirling green vortex. It reached up into the broken skies above like a toxic green cyclone from the dilapidated ruins of a huge stone structure. The skies beyond it looked to have literally been split apart, like a great big tear had been ripped in a section of the sky. The void that had been left was unnaturally dark and teeming with strange green clouds and lights. It was huge and ominous, just looking at it made my skin crawl and my head feel sore. It was beautiful, powerful and wrong. Really, really awfully wrong.

“What the hell is that?” I breathed.

“We call it The Breach,” Cassandra explained. “It is a tear in the fabric of the Veil into the Fade. It appeared after the explosion that tore apart the Conclave, killing everyone there for the peace talks. Countless similar but smaller rifts have appeared all over but this is the biggest one, the strongest. It is the source of all this and it’s spreading. Soon it will engulf everything.”

I continued to stare in awe and fear, unable to tear away my gaze while trying to comprehend what I’d been told. I still didn’t understand half of what she was talking about; Conclave, Fade, Veil and what peace talks? So many questions but for the moment all I could think of was The Breach. It was daunting, terrifying!

“I- I still don’t understand." I admitted looking up at the dark haired woman. "What’s it doing?”

“The Rifts are allowing demons to pass through from the Fade to our world and they are destroying everything they come across. Homes, lands and people.” Cassandra explained grimly.

“De-demons, like real demons?” I asked in disbelief, trying to stop a hysterical laugh. She couldn’t be serious.

She seemed to take my disbelief for shock. “We are holding them back, though only just. We need to find a way to close the Rifts otherwise….I do not want to think about it.”

_Oh my God she was serious!_

This woman actually believed there were demons attacking, but then from the look of the terrified and nervous faces of the people around us so did everyone else here apparently. Looking around it was easy to see everyone here was scared.

But demons weren’t real!

Then again, swirling green vortexes and glowing green hands weren’t real either. And yet here they were. Even so, none of what she was talking about made any sense. Nothing about this made any sense. It just couldn’t be real, none of this should be possible.

_Unless…._

“Where am I?” I asked my voice quivering close to tears again, knowing deep down I wasn’t going to like the answer.

“This is Haven.” She said simply like it was a name I should recognize.

“And uh… what country is that in?”

Now she looked at me in confusion. “Ferelden of course.”

My stomach dropped and chest tightened painfully. My mind was racing so fast to catch up with reality it was making me feel nauseas. It felt as if the whole world was suddenly yanked out from beneath my feet... and maybe it had been.

I knew I wasn't dreaming, this was far too vivid to be a dream and I could feel the cold. It all looked very authentic too, if it was a hoax it would have been a very, very expensive one. And that swirly green vortex did not look like a projection…. It looked real. Strangely enough it felt real too, like it was emitting waves of discomfort and fear out into the world around it.

But Ferelden was not a name of any country on Earth.

“And what’s this whole place called” I rasped, terrified and desperate.

Cassandra looked at me her own confusion over my questions etched across her face. The other women stood nearby watching and listening, her face impassive.

“What do you mean….?”

“The collective name for all the lands and countries put together, the name of this whole world what is it? Please!” I was barely controlling my panic.

Her brows drew together into a tight frown.

“Thedas … what else could it be?”

And there it was. My answer.

I wasn’t in my own world anymore.

 

********

 

 

"Thedas?" Mr Black said slowly sounding out the unfamiliar word and looking meaningfully at Madam Gold. "That's where you have been."

I nodded, "Yeah. That's where I was.

Mr Brown began walking back and forth across the small room, pacing in thought.

"So... You just woke up there, in dungeon with the glowing green hand."

"Yep," I confirmed.

"You're accused of Murder..."

"Unfairly, but yes."

"And then you're taken outside and see there is a big hole in the sky that's causing literal demons to manifest," he continued.

"Basically, yes."

He raised his ginger brows.

"That's an awful lot of things going wrong for you all at once." Mr Black pointed out.

I winced.

"Yeah, it wasn't my best day. It didn't get much better either..."

 

 


	3. A Whole New World

 

** Chapter 2: A Whole New World. **

****

 

My knees went weak, only Cassandra's firm grip on my arm kept my upright as I swayed.

_This couldn’t be real. How did something like this even happen?!_

“Are you alright?”

Oddly enough I thought could detected a hint of concern in my captor's voice.

“No, not really,” I answered. “I don’t know how this happened but I’m not from here.”

“Clearly, I couldn’t place your accent and your attire is not Ferelden” she gestured to my clothes and I took note of what I was wearing, my worn skinny jeans with the fashionable if impractical tears, brown ankle boots with a low heel and oversized grey wool cardigan over a floral print sleeveless shirt. I certainly didn't fit the dress code. 

“That outfit's not Orlessian either. Maybe Tevinter or Antiva,” piped in the hooded lady.

More words I couldn’t understand but that was the least of my concerns at present.

“No you don’t understand, I don’t mean this country. I meant everywhere, anywhere in this world! In this ‘Thedas’. I’m not from anywhere here.”

There was a stunned silence before Cassandra spoke, “You can’t be serious.”

“I wish I wasn’t,” I replied shortly feeling sick to my stomach.

“That’s not possible,” said the other women softly.

“You don’t honestly expect us to believe you do you?” Cassandra asked looking annoyed.

I laughed sounding slightly hysteric.

“Lady I’ve just woken up in an alternate medieval world, I know you probably think I’m crazy or lying but in all honesty what you believe is the least of my worries because I just woke up in a freaking alternate world!”

“Considering that your life is currently very much in my hands you should reconsider that.” She said dryly staring me down with dark glittering eyes.

“Then kill me already, and I might wake up to find this was all a dream! A very vivid, realistic crazy dream.” I snapped, frustrated and upset.

_This really couldn’t be happening to me. How was this even happening to me?_

She studied me closer taking in my odd clothes and distressed face. “You- you honestly believe this don’t you.”

“I don’t believe, I _know_ it!” I shot back.

“Then prove it,” she scoffed.

I shook my head, lost. “How can I? I don’t think anything I could say will convince you.”

“Maybe we should be the judge of that” The red head women said coming forward, arms crossed across her chest face impassive.

“You’re not seriously considering this preposterous story Leliana?” Cassandra bulked turning to her companion in disbelief.

“It never hurts to get every side of a story possible Cassandra. Let’s hear her out first, her tale may prove interesting,” I got the impression that even though she was advocating on my behalf this Leliana was no more on my side than Cassandra, she was just very good at hiding it. There was a cold detachment in her sweet face that made me wary.

“Who are you?” she asked, “And where is it exactly you believe you’re from.”

Where _I believe_ I’m from? So she thought I was crazy too but what choice did I have but to tell my side.

“My name is Evelyn Treval. I live in Melbourne Australia, southern hemisphere of the planet Earth, third planet away from the sun in the Milkyway galaxy or something like that. It’s a very different place from here. Where I come from we have cars and technology, mobile phones and the internet. The whole medieval swords and horses thing is ancient history and demons don’t exist, neither do great big green holes in the sky. Nobody uses swords and shields unless they’re playing pretend, that stuff became kind of obsolete when someone invented gun powder and pistols…. and then Guns and missiles and stuff and…..” I looked at each of their blank faces “…. And you have no idea what I’m talking about do you?”

They both stared, unspeaking.

_Great._

I ran a frustrated hand through my hair. “I don’t know what else to say here.”

“How about telling us how you got here then or how you got that mark.” Challenged Cassandra, arms folded across her chest.

“I…. I don’t know” I replied dumbly.

“You don’t know?” She sneered.

“I just sort of woke up here, and I was in chains and my hand was glowing. Everything before that is all fuzzy and blank. I can’t remember.” I said miserably.

Cassandra scoffed again, “How convenient for you.”

“Not really,” I shot back quietly, my lack of memory felt very inconvenient right now.

“What do you remember?” Asked Leliana.

I though back really hard, trying to piece together my last memories.

“I was going to bed like normal…. I think… but I remember getting back up and getting changed, which is weird really. I remember being in a hurry and being annoyed about something then….. I don’t know. There was a lot of green and something was chasing me, a lot of somethings I think….. There was a woman she glowed…” shaking my head to clear it I sighed in frustration. “I’m sorry I don’t know. It all seems like bits and pieces of a bizarre dream.”

“She’s mad, Fade touched or something.” Cassandra said turning to the other woman exasperated.

“Whether she’s mad or not I we still need her. We are wasting time now, let’s see if we can use her for the time being, everything else can wait until we’ve closed The Breach and she is our best chance of doing that.” reasoned Leliana

“How? What have I got to do with this hole in the sky?” I interjected.

“We don’t know exactly, but our expert believes that mark of yours is the key to closing The Breach,” Leliana explained ambiguously.

“You mean this thing on my hand?”

“Yes they are linked somehow,” interjected Cassandra. “The Breach is growing, and every time it expands so does your mark.”

“That’s a very vague assumption.” I pointed out.

“Yes but at the moment it is all we have. Every time it expands there are more Rifts appearing and more demons. We lose more people, more good men and women.” Cassandra looked almost torn, not wanting to accept that the crazy prisoner could help but not wanting to see more of her soldiers fall either. In that moment I felt for her. She was harsh but I got the impression she was trying to do the right thing here.

“You really think I can help stop this?” I spoke up skeptically.

Leliana looked me right in the eye, “You’re our last chance.”

Meaning 'No, but we’re scraping the bottom of the barrel for the last of our options'.

_Well.... Crap._

I was in well over my head, between a rock and a hard place. I wanted to run away and hide until I could figure this all out. I didn’t think I could do anything useful. I was no one, nothing special…. but people were dying and for some reason these scary ass women thought I could help. How I could help I had no idea. I didn't know what was going on. I didn't know these people or what these demons where like. But the thought of sitting by and not doing anything didn't sit well with me either. I didn’t like the idea of people suffering if I could do something to aid them.

I swallowed hard.

"What do you need me to do?" I asked resolutely staring the two women down with conviction.

“Really?” Cassandra cocked a suspicious eyebrow at me. “You'll comply with us, just like that?”

Flushing red in anger I glared sourly at the taller woman.

“Look I know you don’t trust me you’ve made that perfectly clear. I get it ok! I’m strange and suspicious and quite frankly everything that’s going on right now terrifies the living daylights out of me. I’m not some warrior or knight or whatever it is you people are but you said people are dying. I’d like to think that I’m a somewhat decent person. If I can help people then I’ll do it…. even if I don’t know how to just yet.”

The two women exchanged a glance before Cassandra sighed running her hand over her face.

“I’ll take her up the north road to the forward camp," she declared. "I'll see if she can be of use. We'll meet you there.”

Leliana nodded, “Good luck.”

Without another word or second wasted Leliana and the guards turned and walked away, leaving me with the intimidating she-knight. I looked up at Cassandra nervously.

“This way, stay close.” She barely even looked at me as she spoke before dragging me along with her.

So I went, terrified and lost, right into a new and strange world with my captor.

 

*******

 

Mr Black grunted in annoyance, bringing me back to the present abruptly.

"Hold, you said you didn't know how you got there?" He asked, "You had no memories."

"At the time no," I admitted choosing to gracefully ignore his rude disruption. "None I could make any sense out of anyway. As you can imagine it initially made things very difficult. I could understand Cassandra and Lelianas distrust even if I didn't like it. Even to my own ears I sounded suspect."

"You could have lied to them," Mr Brown pointed out.

"That probably would have been smarter. Even the most extravagant of lies would likely have seemed more plausible than the truth. But I was a little too shocked and overwhelmed by my situation if you hadn't noticed. I may not have been thinking straight," I replied ruefully. "Besides, I've never been a very good liar."

"But you know now correct?" Mr Black pressed eagerly.

_Ah... so that's where he was going with this._

"I bet you're the kind of person who impatiently skips to the last chapter of the book to see what happens too, or Googles the ending of a movie." I narrowed my eyes at the big man and shook my head. "Sorry Sir but if I have to tell this story I'm going to do it right. No spoilers, they ruin the experience."

He began to turn red again. I had to admit I was beginning to enjoy getting this reaction from him, it proved I still had some power of my own.

_I wonder how long it would take to push him so far that he explodes a blood vessel?_ I pondered pleasantly, watching a large vein pulse at his temple.

"You need to tell us," he gritted out from between clenched teeth.

"You need to be patient," I retorted smiling sweetly.

He said something I couldn't understand in his own language that sounded harsh and was probably offensive.

"Enough," Madam Gold interrupted sharply sending a cutting glance towards Mr Black. "She is co-operating, let her continue at her pace Mr Black."

The large man fell silent but the set of his jaw told me he still wasn't happy.

"Thank you," I said with a gracious nod to the matronly lady. "So...Where was I?"

"Held prisoner and being dragged around by a knight to save a fantasy world," Mr Brown summarised.

"When you put it like that its sounds so noble," I said with a soft laugh. "It really wasn't."

He shook his head disbelievingly.

"I still don't understand you. You had just discovered you weren't in your own world anymore. Something completely unheard of outside of the world of fiction and you just... Just accept it and offer to help them? Just like that?" Mr Brown asked incredulously.

"Not really," I admitted frowning down at my scarred hand. "Logic and reason told me what I was experiencing was impossible. I didn't want to believe it. But the reality of it was hard to ignore when it was right in front of me. It wasn't like I was given anytime to process it properly either."

"So you just went with it," he summarised.

I shrugged defensively.

"When a scary woman with a big sword tells you you're her prisoner and starts dragging you around a demon infested valley you don't really have much choice in the matter."

 

 

 


	4. Chapter 3: The Valley of Demons

 

** Chapter 3: The Valley of Demons **

 

I followed close at Cassandra's heals shivering, my cardigan and thin holey jeans not giving me much protection from the elements. I wasn’t dressed for snowy hikes nor was I used to such extreme cold but frost bite seemed to be the least of my concerns at the moment. I wasn't even sure I was in fact trembling with cold as it could have just as easily been fear, I was feeling both in equal measure. 

She led me towards the outskirts of the small town, weaving in and out of buildings and the canvas tents which seemingly housed more of the green clad soldiers. Everyone watched us as we went by, various degrees of hatred and fear on their faces and many rude and horrible names on their lips. I shrunk away refusing to meet any of their gazes, feeling utterly miserable. I’d never felt so hated and ostracized in my life. The way they all glared at me, they detested me for something I hadn’t done, or at least I didn’t think I’d done.

“They have already decided your guilt. They needed to. We were on the verge of peace. Then with the death of our Most Holy…. they, we need someone to be responsible,” Cassandra spoke up noting my discomfort.

I nodded mutely, I was a scapegoat. I could understand that. It was human nature and it was what these people needed when their whole world was falling apart, someone to blame. Despite my own crappy situation I did feel for them.

“She must have been very important to you all. I know you probably don’t want to hear this from me, but I’m sorry for your loss.”

Cassandra's mouth tightened and she gave me a curt nod, nothing more.

We quickly made our way out of the small village and reached a wide stone and brick bridge that spanned a narrow chasm, with a large arch and heavy set of wooden doors on either end. A score of armored soldiers were manning the bridge and opened the gates when they saw Cassandra approach. From their reaction to her I could tell she was someone of importance and well respected among this army. As we crossed the dark haired woman stopped for a brief moment to rummage through a nearby open crate, eventually pulling out a long worn leather coat.

“Here,” she said thrusting the sturdy garment into my arms. “It should protect you from the cold, and some of the trouble we are likely to face.”

"Uh... Th-thank you?" I stammered, taken aback by the sudden act of kindness. After all I was a prisoner accused of murder and was quite certain this woman hated me. So why care about my comfort?

She just made a dismissive sounding noise in her throat and kept walking, I rushed to catch up pulling on the toffee coloured coat as I went. It was heavy but worn and supple, coming to a shapeless stop flapping about my shins. The sleeves fell slightly too long so I could easily hide my hands inside. The inside of the coat was lined in a soft almost velvet like material that was thinning in places. The whole thing smelt like leather and something oily and dusty but I did feel instantly more protected against the chill air

“You’re expecting trouble,” I asked apprehensively as we walked by a cluster of soldiers kneeling before a red and white robed man reciting what seemed to be some kind of prayer.

“We need to try out your mark on one of the smaller Rifts, there will be demons.”

_Demons... Jesus, that still sounded so surreal._

“You know I can’t fight don’t you?” I asked nervously, the prospect of wrestling with another person let alone these demons was daunting. Combat wise my experience was less than minimum, I knew a little self-defense tricks but that was about it. And even that mainly revolved around screaming for help and running away after a well-aimed kick to the balls.

“I don’t expect you to fight, I am here to make sure no harm comes to you.” Cassandra replied simply.

“But you don’t even like me,” I blurted out.

She frowned, “You are my prisoner, my responsibility and you could be our only solution to this catastrophe. Don’t worry I will not let you be harmed.”

Surprisingly I actually found that a little comforting. While her dislike and distrust were obvious Cassandra seemed the type to take her responsibilities very serious. I could trust her to keep me safe even if she wanted to behead me herself later. I was in good hands and oddly enough I found I kind of liked the angry she-knight.

Besides anybody looking at the tall dark haired woman could just tell she was a certified bad ass!

Cassandra called for the gate to be opened on the other side of the bridge and we passed on through.

I came to a stunned halt, eyes going wide and feet frozen to the spot.

The road ahead was a disaster. Blackened soot stained the pristine snow and craters littered the road and countryside along with flaming carriages and carts which lay abandoned on the sides of the road.

But worst of all were the corpses.

There were bodies, lots of bodies, lying in pools of blood, scorched or dismembered. Not all of them were soldiers either. I could see the remnants of dresses or farmers clothes amongst the broken armor and helmets. They just lay there, so very still.

I choked back a muffled sob and fought down a wave of hysteria that threatened to send me running back to the dungeon where I was safe.

_Oh God... What could possibly do this?!_

A group of soldiers ran by were stood, racing back to the protection of the village. I heard one of them wailing about it being the end of the world and couldn’t fault him for thinking it. This was dreadful.

Cassandra realized I wasn't moving and turned to look at me questioningly.

“Those poor people,” I breathed out heartbroken and horrified.

Her expression turned dark but resolved, but her hands clenched into frustrated fists at her side.

“They fought bravely and when this is over they will be mourned, but for now our efforts are needed elsewhere. We best hurry.” She continued forward at a brisk pace.

I stared after her a moment, amazed someone could be so practical when faced with such a macabre sight. I felt like a jabbering mess at the sight of so much death while Cassandra had taken it in stride, like this was an everyday occurrence.

Then again it very well might be here, and that thought scared be more than anything else had so far.

_But she was right_ , I told myself sadly. _These unfortunate people were beyond my help._

I took a few calming breathes, trying not to take in the smell of blood, smoke and burning flesh that hung thick in the air. My legs finally decided to work again after a moment and I began to stumble along in her wake, trying not to look at the fallen while picking my way around them.

“Cassandra,” I asked uncertainly as I caught back up with her. “Can I ask you how I ended up as your prisoner?”

She regarded me warily and for a moment I didn’t think she would answer me. Then she spoke.

“Our soldiers found you when they first went to scout the remains of the Temple of Sacred Ashes where we were holding the Conclave. They say you appeared out of the Fade and collapsed, there was a women standing behind you in the Fade. Nobody knows who she was. That was two days ago, we have been waiting for you to wake up since then.”

_Two days?_

And I was still wearing the same clothes I would have arrived in. Best not reflect too much about that one, besides I had more pressing questions on my mind. A great many of them in fact. Apparently fear doesn't always quell curiosity.

“You mentioned that before 'the Fade'," I recalled frowning in thought. "What is it exactly?”

“It is the Fade,” she said simply though on seeing my confused face Cassandra began to elaborate a little. “It is the place we go in our dreams and where demons and spirits live. No mortal has physically entered the Fade and lived for thousands of years. That you just fell out of it is simply unheard of.”

“Physically? What other ways can a person go somewhere if not physically?” I pondered out loud.

“You are asking a lot of questions,” she was beginning to sound exasperated like a teacher reluctantly explaining philosophy to a young child.

“This place... it’s a lot to take in. I’m just trying to understand what I’ve gotten involved in,” I defended.

“Well ask something else, the Fade is not my area of expertise.”She snapped unknowingly giving me the opening I was looking for.

“Ok then,” I started eagerly. “You mentioned peace talks before, were your people already at war with someone?”

“My people? No but the country is in turmoil." Cassandra explained. "The Mages have rebelled and the Templars fight to destroy them. The peace talks were our chance to resolve things without further bloodshed.”

I tripped over my own feet in shock.

“Wait! Mages? As in magic and spells and Gandalf and stuff?” I asked in disbelief.

“Of course, is there another kind? Though I don’t know what you mean by a _Gandalf_ ,” she replied, puzzled.

“For real, I mean real magic!?” I pressed excitedly.

She raised an elegant eyebrow at me. “You don’t have magic where you’re from I take it.”

“No, just tricks and illusions, smoke and mirrors stuff. Real magic only exist in stories.”

“You almost sound wistful.” She stated in disgust.

_She was right, I was._

I smiled dreamily.

“I always liked the stories with magic in them, the ones so different from real life. So much adventure compared to my life. Though admittedly I’d never thought I’d end up in one.”

“This isn’t a story!” She snapped, eyes flashing angrily. “This is real, the people dying are real and you are here in the middle of the end of everything we hold dear.”

“I know that!” I retorted back, my face flushing red with shame and embarrassment. “I was just trying to explain ….. Aaargh!”

I was cut off by my own cry of agony as a sudden crack emitting from The Breach ahead of us in the sky echoed from my palm, radiating intense cold pain as the mark pulsed and spread further down my wrist and forearm, like angry emerald cracks under my skin.

It hurt, it really hurt. Like my arm was splitting into pieces. I cried out in a painful gasp as the sudden and overwhelming pain brought me to my knees in the snow, cradling my hand to my chest and waiting for the episode to pass.

Cassandra was quickly at my side her hand on my shoulder and a look of concern on her face. I stared back at her in shock.

“What was that?!” I gasped when I could finally draw breath. The green lines fading under my skin, retracting back to my palm.

“Every time the Breach expands so does your mark,” she seemed to hesitate a moment before she added softly. “And it’s killing you.”

_This thing…. Was killing me?!_

“It’s… how? Why didn’t you tell me this sooner?!” I demanded, voice wavering.

_I didn’t want to die!_

“Would knowing have changed anything?”

“I have a right to know if I’m dying!”

She sighed, “I suppose you do, I apologize. I wasn’t trying to keep it from you. Come we must hurry the expansions are coming more frequently.”

Meaning I was losing time and her possible solution was getting closer to dropping dead. Cassandra helped me to my feet and I obediently followed as she led us further down the road at a faster pace. After a while we came across another sturdy stone bridge, this one slightly smaller and without the gates, it spanned across and the wide banks of a very frozen river. On the other side a handful of soldiers held up a small stockade comprised of sharpened pointy logs. Armed and ready for any demon attacks I assumed.

“It’s not too far now,” declared Cassandra as we began to cross. “We just-“

She was cut off suddenly when the Breach crackled and burst again. This time what seemed like several large flaming green meteors spewed from its depths and hurtled rapidly in all directions.

One of which was coming straight towards us at a ridiculously fast rate. Before we could even turn and run the ball of green flame struck the centre of the bridge with an almighty crash. The stones beneath us seemed to rise a little before falling away completely as the bridge shattered and exploded outwards, sending soldiers flying and Cassandra and I plummeting to the frozen river below along with a tone of rumble.

I fell, tumbling and twisting, bouncing against the stone and debris before coming to a jarring stop on the thick layer of ice that was the river surface. I lay there, groaning as my body protested loudly at its mistreatment and the world continued to spin slightly.

_Ow…..Was I just blown up? Holy crap I had been blown up!_

As I propped myself up I noticed Cassandra was already on her feet, with her sword drawn and a sturdy shield which had previously been strapped securely to her back at the ready. She wasn’t looking at me but ahead where in the middle of the frozen lake a thick billow of green smoke was swirling above the icy surface and from which a dark figure was rising.

I stared on horrified as it emerged from nowhere to stand, humanoid in shape like that of a stooped old women but taller, taller than Cassandra even when hunched over. It seemed to be shrouded in a muddy brown cloak that was torn and patchy, held together with the odd leather strap or buckle and revealing patches of grey dead flesh beneath as the material dragged along the ground behind the creature. From beneath its hooded shroud the only thing visible were a set of bizarre spikes protruding through the material on its back and its long gnarled, mottled hands that ended in a wicked set of black talons that dripped with some kind of dark mucus. It stood, reared back its head and let out an ear piercing, wail that spoke of horrors beyond imagining. Like nails on a chalk board and slithers of glass it shrieked.

_What... the... actual... fuck?_

I sat frozen in terrified horror as Cassandra stalked forward, weapons at the ready.

“Stay back, I will deal with it.” She declared steadily.

The thing lunged moving forward in almost snake like lurching movements with the speed of a viper, raising its claws and slashing viciously. Cassandra calmly caught the blow, deflecting it with her shield and returned with a slash of her own. The creature cried out wordlessly but continued its attack. I watched on in shock and awe, shocked that such a monstrosity was possible and in awe of Cassandras abilities and that she could even hold her own against such a creature.

That was until I noticed a second green fog developing between Cassandra and me. A second creature appeared from the mist just as the first had and slowly glided towards Cassandras turned back while the first creature kept her attention.

_Oh. Oh no. Oh no no no no no!_

“Cassandra! Behind you!” I called desperately and stumbled shakily to my feet, slipping wildly on the ice. But she didn’t seem to hear me over the sound of her steel and the clash of her shield. She was too far away and that thing was getting closer, its claws at the ready.

It was going to kill her.

Looking around in a panic for a weapon of some sort I grabbed the nearest thing within arm’s reach and ran forward, sliding a little on the ice as I advanced on the second creature.

“Hey you!” I yelled when I got within range. "You...you thing!"

It turned and I struck. Lifting my weapon high above my head, the smooth sturdy wood tightly clenched between my fingers, the large metal sphere on its end reflected the eerie green light of the Breach above. The creature was still in the process of facing me when I brought it down over its head with as much force as I could manage. It impacted with a meaty ' _thunk_ ' that would have sent a human sprawling.

Unfortunately the creature wasn't human and all I managed to do was stagger it for a moment before it slowly turned to face me with an awful rumbling growl.

“Oh shit,” I whimpered.

Taking a step back I raised my weapon between us, now spread between two hands like a balancing pole.

It shrieked and lunged at me. I screamed and raised my weapon to block a brutal swipe to my chest by those talons. It worked and I use the momentum to sweep the creature to the side and dance back another step. While it was straightening itself I had the chance to hit it again this time landing a blow to its shoulder. It didn’t even seem to feel that one. Frowning, I internally berated myself for such a weak hit. I needed to hit harder than that if I was going to stay alive. Whirling around again it charged at me and I made a few desperate swipes of my weapon to keep it at bay to no avail. The creature battered my strikes away without a seconds thought. My legs came out from under me as I slipped on the ice, falling backwards as it advanced, crying out in alarm before the breath was knocked out of my lungs.

And then it was on me.

I still had the presence of mind to raise my weapon across my body again to catch another blow from the monster, its claws coming to a halt an inch from my throat as it continued to push down. The way it leaned over me gave an unveiled view of its face which had been previously hidden by its hood. It was dark and shadowy but my eyes saw enough.

Dead mottled skin, eyeless deform face, large gaping circular mouth full of razors.

_Oh my Rowling! I was about to get eaten by a dementor._

It shrieked again and I screamed, closing my eyes in terror. My strength was not enough to keep it off me.

_This was it, this was where I died!_

Then it let out a garbled cry and its weight upon me slackened. I braved a hesitant look to find the thing was disintegrating around me, a shining bit of steel protruding from what remained of its chest, just inches from piercing my own. With a start I scuttled back on my hands and backside to watch the creature flake and dissolve into smoke and ash, Cassandra standing above it withdrew her sword and with a flick of her wrist re-sheathed it at her waist before looking at me.

“Are you alright?”

I shook my head, wordless and shaking where I sat on the ice.

_Alright? I was so far from alright. What the hell was I thinking? That thing had almost killed me!_

That horrible, monstrous thing!

“What was that?” I croaked barely registering that Cassandra was crouching down next to me, giving me a once over. Checking to see if I was alright.

“That was a demon,” she explained evenly.

“Demon, right demon.” I shuddered. Feeling her hands grasp both my shoulders I looked up into her face, feeling silent tears run down my checks unchecked _._

_Shit! I must look so pathetic._  

“That was either the most reckless thing I’ve seen or the bravest. What in the Makers name were you thinking?” she chastised.

“It was going to kill you,” I replied numbly, feeling stupid and scared.

“You could have run, escaped. Instead you decide to take on a demon with no combat experience of your own!”

I looked down wringing my hands together, feeling like a reprimanded child. “I thought it was going to kill you, I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if I ran.”

There was an awkward silence between us for a long moment until Cassandra broke it.

“Thank you” she said softly squeezing my shoulder gently. “Just so you know, I was well aware of the second Shade. I was at no risk of it killing me.”

“Oh,” I stared dumbly up at her feeling a complete moron. Of course the bad ass warrior had it under control. I felt my face heat up. “Sorry, I thought you were… yeah. I’m an idiot.”

I was shocked to see her lips twitch into some semblance of a smile.

“I think I may have misjudged you earlier, for that I apologize,” she said almost warmly.

I looked up again, shocked.

“You believe me?” I gasped in disbelief.

“After seeing that dismal attempt at self defense I do not believe you to be a killer or that you have any malicious intent.” She clarified before helping me to my feet. “But that does not mean you aren’t unintentionally involved. When all this is over I can promise you a fair trial, beyond that however is out of my hands.”

I swiped my hand across my cheeks and pulled myself together, giving my captor a watery smile. “Thank you.”

It really was more than I could hope for after all.

Cassandra face softened, just slightly but I saw it.

“Hmmm, where did you get that?” She pointed to my weapon which was lying on the ground beside where I had sat.

“Oh, it must have been on the bridge before it blew up, I just grabbed it out of the rubble. It was the closest thing nearby I could get.”

“You realize this is a Mages Staff,” she said plucking it off the ground. “Without any magic ability it’s little more than a glorified stick.”

I frowned looking at it closely for the first time. It was long, standing upright it was almost as tall as me. Made of polished smooth creamy wood it had a small metal cap at its foot and a solid metal silver sphere at its head, the sphere was about the size of a child’s ball and had been engraved with swirling elegant designs on its surface.

I shrugged “It served its purpose well enough without any magic. It was a big stick and I used it to hit the bad guy.”

Cassandra snorted, “It’s probably safer for you than a blade at any rate.”

I was startled when the dark haired woman handed it back to me.

“Take it, I cannot protect you from everything it seems and you should have something to defend yourself with. Even if it is just a big stick.”

I took it and gave her a small smile in return.

“Thank you, I still don’t think I’ll be much help but….” I hefted the staff into my hands. “At least you trust me with it.”

She chuckled softly, a hard glint to her dark eyes. “Even if I did think you would attack me with that you would be no competition for me.”

I laughed “I don’t doubt that, still thanks.”

It actually meant a lot that Cassandra would trust me with this, despite everything.

“We should keep moving,” she said leading the way off the frozen river.

 

*******

I fell silent thinking back on that moment fondly.

"I still don't know exactly what changed her mind about me," I admitted to the three agents. "Cassandra was such a stubborn person when we met. It's still a challenge to get her to change her mind about anything. Though I expect my complete stupidity and lack of self preservation proved to her I at least wasn't an evil mastermind."

"And all it took was almost being eaten by a demon," quipped Mr Brown.

"Actually demons don't eat people," I murmured darkly. "It's what makes them so horrific. Animals kill out of necessity, for food or to protect. People kill for the same reasons or from emotions, while still awful it's at least understandable. Demons... demons just destroy. They pass through the veil and can't handle the real world. It changes them for some reason, twists them and drives them mad. You can't reason with them, you can't bargain. You can only fight or attempt to flee and unless you have some kind of combat experience neither of those options tend to work out well."

"You were very lucky then that your captor was so capable," Mr Black grunted in approval. "She seems like a good soldier."

"She was," I sighed. "And I was very fortunate indeed to have met her and the others... I would never have survived without them."

"Which others?" Mr Black asked curiously, seeming eager to hear more about some fierce warriors.

I smiled sadly and let the tears fall.

"The most amazing people I've ever met and will likely ever meet again," I whispered. "They saved me in more ways than words can even express. My Companions. My friends..."

_My love..._

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> So... What do you think? I love to hear from my readers.  
> If you liked the story please leave a kudos, Leave a comment (I will reply) and Bookmark. Updates are not always regular and its the best way to keep track of your favourite Works.
> 
> Love always  
> Bel


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